My name is Nathan Young and I’ve been part of the Regional Center system of California for years. My goals have always been to work and never much did the fun stuff called recreation except for one time I went to camp for one night but had to leave as it was a bit much. Typically I have support services six days a week. For a few years I also had ABA services. With ABA services my ability to transition where it was difficult to do so was improved. Yet it was only an hour a week of ABA. Many states are mandating ABA treatment rights. In California support services are so restricted you cannot do much else aside from shop. You cannot have recreation for a break from work life or just for wellbeing and it is becoming more and more restrictive and just unhealthy but at least what is available is available nonetheless but laws and promises state we are to have equal lives.

I wrote this petition to address some issues which affects others and where applicable myself to some degree. For myself my ABA services were discontinued as I felt bad about the budget crises and my service coordinator talked about the budgets. When I tried to re-instate them as my progress regressed to an uncomfortable level they said no, one official person said it's how I am wired and I should accept it and my Protection & Advocacy attorney is helping but their budget is limited too. Yet I’d like to be independent and not be restricted and to do so I need treatment which the law states I have a right to treatment. The Regional Centers of California are basically a California insurance coordination service devised by California law known as the Lanterman Act which guarantees an obligation to citizens with developmental disabilities including autism. Every state has different services it insures. To be independent means freedom and to depend on this insurance to achieve independence is proving improbable and very restrictive as well as prone to segregation in spending preferences. The right to treatment and habilitation are clearly stated in federal and state laws. Yet as more and more cuts come and not being allowed treatment can have harmful results, if like normal politicians do not live up to promises.

Here are some basic issues I’d like to be addressed:

1. Remove any policy barriers which prevent ABA treatment agencies from assisting individuals with integrating into day programs that do not have a behaviorist on staff as a civil and human right when part of a treatment plan. Such interference due to conflicting policies evades human and civil rights creating isolation or restrictive community participations and may be a violation of Olmstead and or ADA Title II where applicable.

2. When individuals are prone to social and otherwise isolation honor the right to treatment intervention as needed in the least restrictive environment including natural community settings. Isolation is a violation of the Olmstead ACT and or ADA title II where applicable according to the Department of Justice as it is abuse, neglect and inhumane when mandated public entities fail to meet their obligations and leads to institutionalization or even segregations where applicable. Living in the community can become nothing other than a de-regulated institutional setting which can be worse than institutions when there is a failure to accommodate with services and supports including treatment resulting in isolation and or worse.

3. Permit the civil right to the least restrictive environment with the right to independence in community life being honored when individuals have transitional, adaptive and or social difficulties that hinder independent inclusions and choices.. Please permit the right to treatment when individuals do not wish to be segregated in a day center but desire community life while needing treatment and or are unable to make such transitions into segregated community programs and so face isolation which is a risk to health and welfare.

4. Adequately fund congressionally mandated Protection & Advocacy legal services which have such reduced funding it cannot individually service assigned consumers it is mandated when Regional Centers are under special mandate to deny and remove services due to costs savings. This prevents persons with autism and other developmental disabilities who have transitional, adaptive and or social difficulties to be fairly represented at fair hearing before a judge when of adult age thus creating no protection and no advocacy for necessary services which prevents securing safety, wellbeing and the right to community life risking immediate or eventual institutionalizations where applicable.

My name is Nathan Young and I’ve been part of the Regional Center system of California for years. My goals have always been to work and never much did the fun stuff called recreation except for one time I went to camp for one night but had to leave as it was a bit much. Typically I have support services six days a week. For a few years I also had ABA services. With ABA services my ability to transition where it was difficult to do so was improved. Yet it was only an hour a week of ABA. Many states are mandating ABA treatment rights. In California support services are so restricted you cannot do much else aside from shop. You cannot have recreation for a break from work life or just for wellbeing and it is becoming more and more restrictive and just unhealthy but at least what is available is available nonetheless but laws and promises state we are to have equal lives.

I wrote this petition to address some issues which affects others and where applicable myself to some degree. For myself my ABA services were discontinued as I felt bad about the budget crises and my service coordinator talked about the budgets. When I tried to re-instate them as my progress regressed to an uncomfortable level they said no, one official person said it's how I am wired and I should accept it and my Protection & Advocacy attorney is helping but their budget is limited too. Yet I’d like to be independent and not be restricted and to do so I need treatment which the law states I have a right to treatment. The Regional Centers of California are basically a California insurance coordination service devised by California law known as the Lanterman Act which guarantees an obligation to citizens with developmental disabilities including autism. Every state has different services it insures. To be independent means freedom and to depend on this insurance to achieve independence is proving improbable and very restrictive as well as prone to segregation in spending preferences. The right to treatment and habilitation are clearly stated in federal and state laws. Yet as more and more cuts come and not being allowed treatment can have harmful results, if like normal politicians do not live up to promises.

Here are some basic issues I’d like to be addressed:

1. Remove any policy barriers which prevent ABA treatment agencies from assisting individuals with integrating into day programs that do not have a behaviorist on staff as a civil and human right when part of a treatment plan. Such interference due to conflicting policies evades human and civil rights creating isolation or restrictive community participations and may be a violation of Olmstead and or ADA Title II where applicable.

2. When individuals are prone to social and otherwise isolation honor the right to treatment intervention as needed in the least restrictive environment including natural community settings. Isolation is a violation of the Olmstead ACT and or ADA title II where applicable according to the Department of Justice as it is abuse, neglect and inhumane when mandated public entities fail to meet their obligations and leads to institutionalization or even segregations where applicable. Living in the community can become nothing other than a de-regulated institutional setting which can be worse than institutions when there is a failure to accommodate with services and supports including treatment resulting in isolation and or worse.

3. Permit the civil right to the least restrictive environment with the right to independence in community life being honored when individuals have transitional, adaptive and or social difficulties that hinder independent inclusions and choices.. Please permit the right to treatment when individuals do not wish to be segregated in a day center but desire community life while needing treatment and or are unable to make such transitions into segregated community programs and so face isolation which is a risk to health and welfare.

4. Adequately fund congressionally mandated Protection & Advocacy legal services which have such reduced funding it cannot individually service assigned consumers it is mandated when Regional Centers are under special mandate to deny and remove services due to costs savings. This prevents persons with autism and other developmental disabilities who have transitional, adaptive and or social difficulties to be fairly represented at fair hearing before a judge when of adult age thus creating no protection and no advocacy for necessary services which prevents securing safety, wellbeing and the right to community life risking immediate or eventual institutionalizations where applicable.